CALIFORNIA 
AGRICULTURAL  EXTENSION  SERVICE 

CIRCULAR  3 

October,  1926 


FEEDING  BEEF  CATTLE 
IN  CALIFORNIA 


H.  R.  GUILBERT 


PUBLISHED  BY 

THE  COLLEGE  OF  AGRICULTURE 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 


Cooperative  Extension  work  in  Agriculture  and  Home  Economics,  College  of  Agriculture, 
University  of  California,  and  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  cooperating.  Dis- 
tributed in  furtherance  of  the  Acts  of  Congress  of  May  8  and  June  30,  1914.  B.  H.  Crocheron, 
Director,  California  Agricultural  Extension  Service. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  PRINTING  OFFICE 

BERKELEY,  CALIFORNIA 

1926 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2011  with  funding  from 

University  of  California,  Davis  Libraries 


http://www.archive.org/details/feedingbeefcattl03guil 


FEEDING   BEEF  CATTLE  IN  CALIFORNIA 

H.   E.   GUILBERTi 


INTRODUCTION 

In  the  beef  cattle  industry  conducted  on  a  range  basis,  finishing 
in  the  feed  lot  is  usually  a  separate  business  from  raising  the  cattle. 
Cattle  may  be  raised  on  cheap  lands  on  grazing  areas  not  suitable  for 
cultivation,  whereas  the  feeding  or  finishing  must  be  done  in  farming 
areas  where  a  surplus  of  roughage  and  concentrates  is  produced.  The 
Southwest  and  Intermountain  regions  are  typical  cattle  raising  or 
breeding  grounds,  while  the  Corn  Belt  is  the  great  finishing  area. 

In  California  there  are  vast  areas  of  grazing  lands,  which  at 
present  are  depended  upon  not  only  to  carr}^  breeding  herds,  but  also 
to  furnish  fat  cattle  for  market.  Although  feeding  is  done  in  the 
irrigated  valleys,  it  does  not  at  present  occupy  a  very  significant  place 
in  the  program  of  beef  production  of  the  state. 

Combining  the  growing  of  livestock  with  other  lines  of  agricultural 
production  furnishes  a  logical  means  for  maintaining  the  productivity 
of  the  soil.  A  part  of  the  acreage  of  many  valley  ranches  should  be 
devoted  to  the  production  of  feed  for  livestock,  and  the  manure  from 
the  feeding  operations  used  to  maintain  the  fertility  of  the  land.  The 
advisability  of  this  practice  has  been  demonstrated  by  farmers  who 
have  successfully  balanced  their  business  through  the  keeping  of 
livestock.  Beef  cattle  should  find  a  place  with  other  livestock  produc- 
tion on  valley  ranches.  The  finishing  of  cattle  should  become  a  more 
important  factor  in  the  beef  cattle  industry  for  the  following  reasons : 

1.  The  increasing  cost  of  production  of  beef  in  general  and  a 
rapidly  growing  market  demand  for  lighter  carcasses  of  beef  necessi- 
tate more  economical  methods  of  production  through  quicker  turn- 
over, that  is,  through  a  more  rapid  growth  of  cattle  to  market  weight. 
The  range  man  can  produce  feeder  calves  and  yearlings  economically, 
but  these  younger  cattle  from  the  range  are  not  ordinarily  fat  enough 
for  market.  Such  cattle  are  economical  feeders  and,  if  well  bred, 
should  top  the  market  when  fat. 

2.  Many  ranges  do  not  furnish  the  quality  and  quantity  of  feed 
necessary  to  put  cattle  in  marketable  condition. 


i  Junior    Animal    Husbandman    in    the    Experiment    Station,    Branch    of    the 
College  of  Agriculture,  Davis,  California. 


4  CALIFORNIA   AGRICULTURAL   EXTENSION    SERVICE  [ClRC.  3 

3.  Feeding  makes  possible  the  marketing  of  California  cattle 
throughout  the  year.  Fed  cattle  can  be  marketed  before  and  after  the 
heavy  runs  of  grass  cattle,  gradually  diminishing  the  excess  supply  of 
these  periods,  and  thus  tending  in  some  degree  toward  stabilizing 
prices  for  both  thin  and  fat  cattle,  the  former  going  to  the  feed  lot 
and  the  latter  to  the  block.  The  period  of  heavy  receipts  of  California 
cattle  is  usually  during  May,  June,  and  July,  when  large  numbers  are 
marketed  from  the  spring  range.  During  November,  December,  and 
January  a  large  percentage  of  the  cattle  slaughtered  is  shipped  in 
from  neighboring  states. 

4.  There  appears  to  be  a  demand  for  beef  of  better  quality  than 
can  be  regularly  secured  now  in  the  coast  markets. 

5.  Most  of  the  feeds  necessary  for  the  finishing  of  cattle  are  being 
produced  or  can  be  produced  on  valley  ranches,  and  through  the 
utilization  of  home-grown  feeds,  cattle  feeding  as  a  regular  part  of 
the  farm  business  should  be  profitable  under  favorable  conditions. 

WHY  CATTLE  ARE  FATTENED 

Cattle  are  fattened  because  the  meat  of  fat  cattle  is  more  tender, 
has  a  higher  flavor,  and  keeps  better  than  the  meat  from  thin  or  half- 
fat  animals.  The  consumer  likes  well  fattened  beef  and  is  willing  to 
pay  for  it,  provided  there  be  not  too  much  waste.  This  means  it  must 
come  from  a  young  animal  which  has  been  bred  for  beef.  In  the 
meat  from  such  an  animal,  there  is  a  mixture  of  fat  and  lean  resulting 
in  tenderness.  In  animals  lacking  in  beef  tendencies,  the  fat  is  dis- 
tributed in  rolls  and  patches  on  the  outside  and  around  the  internal 
organs,  not  improving  the  quality  of  the  meat.  Such  fat,  trimmed  off, 
goes  either  to  the  soap  factory  or  the  garbage  can. 

BUYING    FEEDERS 

Cost  of  Feeding  Operations. — The  cost  of  a  pound  of  gain  in  the 
feed  lot  is  usually  greater  than  the  ultimate  selling  price  of  the  animal 
to  the  pound.  The  profit  in  cattle  feeding,  therefore,  comes  largely 
from  increasing  the  value  of  the  original  weight  of  the  animal  by 
improving  the  quality. 

A  spread  or  margin  between  the  buying  and  selling  price  is  clearly 
necessary  if  a  profit  is  to  be  made.  The  following  example  will  make 
this  point  clear.  Suppose  that  a  750-pound  feeder  cost  $6.50  a  cwt., 
or  $48.75,  and  that  the  cost  of  200  pounds  of  gain  is  $15.00  a  cwt.,  or 
$30.00.    The  total  cost  of  the  steer  would  then  be  $78.75.    The  finished 


1926  ]  FEEDING  BEEF  CATTLE  IN  CALIFORNIA  5 

steer,  weighing  950  pounds,  would  have  to  bring  $8.29  a  cwt.  for  the 
owner  to  break  even.  In  other  words,  a  margin  of  $1.79  a  cwt.  between 
buying  and  selling  price  is  necessary  in  order  to  meet  the  cost  of  feed- 
ing. Though  the  gain  cost  $15.00  a  cwt.,  a  spread  of  only  $1.79  a  cwt. 
between  the  buying  and  selling  price  would  be  necessary  to  break  even, 
because  of  the  increased  value  of  the  original  weight.  By  studying 
the  market  prices  of  thin  and  of  finished  cattle  and  approximating  the 
cost  of  gains,  an  estimate  of  the  probable  outcome  of  feeding  opera- 
tions can  be  made.  When  estimating  the  cost  of  feeding  operations, 
the  feed,  interest  on  the  investment,  labor,  freight,  marketing  expense, 
and  shrinkage  should  be  considered. 

In  an  investigation  made  by  W.  F.  Ward2  cattle  in  transit  less 
than  24  hours  shrank  2.05-3.91  per  cent.  Those  in  transit  24  to  36 
hours  shrank  3.46-6.37  per  cent.  Those  in  transit  36  to  72  hours 
shrank  3.88-5.40  per  cent.  These  figures  are  based  upon  the  weight 
at  the  loading  point  and  the  terminal  weights  after  the  cattle  had 
taken  a  fill.  Great  variation  is  found  in  the  shrinkage  for  the  same 
length  of  haul.  This  is  caused  by  the  weather  conditions,  amount  of 
fill  at  the  time  of  loading,  the  fill  taken  at  the  market,  and  other 
factors. 

Cows  shrink  slightly  more  than  steers  of  the  same  weight,  but  the 
difference  is  not  so  great  as  is  commonly  believed.  The  fill  taken  at 
the  market  varies  greatly  and  depends  upon  the  condition  of  the  cattle 
and  length  of  time  in  the  yards  before  weighing.  The  fill  taken  by  a 
900-1000  pound  steer  at  the  terminal  market  usually  runs  between 
25  and  35  pounds.  When  selling  on  off-car  weights,  the  shrinkage 
averages  from  2  to  3  per  cent  higher.  A  twelve-hour  stand  without 
feed  or  water  is  approximately  equivalent  to  a  3  per  cent  shrink. 

The  profit  from  a  feeding  operation  is  often  made  impossible  at  the 
start  by  the  high  price  paid  for  the  feeders.  Good  judgment  in  buy- 
ing and  selling  is  as  important  as  efficient  feeding  for  successful  cattle 
feeding  operations. 

The  Type  of  Steers  to  Feed. — High  grade  steers  as  shown  in 
figure  1,  sired  by  good  purebred  beef  bulls,  make  more  economical 
gains  and  turn  out  better  carcasses  than  common  steers  and,  there- 
fore, are  usually  most  satisfactory  to  feed.  Less  margin  is  required 
to  break  even  with  choice  feeder  steers  than  with  common  ones.  The 
cattle  feeder  needs  to  know  values  as  well  as  types. 

Sometimes  the  spread  in  price  between  common  cattle  and  the  better 
grades  is  greater  when  the  animals  are  thin  than  when  they  are  ready 


2  Ward,  W.  F.    The  shrinkage  of  weight  of  beef  cattle  in  transit.     U.  S.  D.  A. 
Bui.  25:1-78,  1913. 


6 


CALIFORNIA   AGRICULTURAL    EXTENSION    SERVICE 


[Circ.  3 


for  market,  thus  giving  a  greater  margin  for  common  grades  than  for 
choice.  If  this  margin  is  sufficient  to  more  than  offset  the  less  eco- 
nomical gains,  the  feeding  of  the  poorer  grade  is  made  profitable. 
This  situation  sometimes  occurs  in  the  middle  western  markets  where 
the  competition  among  the  cattle  feeders  for  the  best  cattle  may  raise 
the  price  above  a  point  where  the  market  outlook  justifies  buying. 
If  common  cattle  can  be  bought  cheaply  enough,  there  is  money  in 


Fig.  1. — A  good  feeder  steer.     This  animal  has  a  good  feeder  head,  deep  chest  and 
middle,  and  a  fairly  good  top,  but  is  somewhat  deficient  in  hind  quarters. 

feeding  them,  but  the  man  who  raises  them  is  the  loser.  Also,  there  is 
more  satisfaction  in  feeding  a  good  steer  than  a  poor  one.  An  inferior 
steer,  such  as  that  shown  in  figure  2,  is  not  profitable  to  feed.  This 
photograph  was  taken  after  the  animal  had  been  grain-fed  100  days. 
It  is  almost  impossible  to  fatten  a  steer  of  this  type. 

Table  1  shows  that  the  choice  steer  dressed  out  a  lower  percentage 
of  cheap  cuts  and  a  higher  percentage  of  high  priced  cuts,  than  the 
average  steer. 

The  chief  characteristics  of  the  best  type  of  feeder  steer  are  broad, 
deep,  lowset,  compact  body ;  straight  back  and  underline ;  wide  sprung 
ribs  and  loin ;  thick  thighs ;  and  deep  twist.  A  large  girth,  short  neck, 
short,  broad  head  with  large  nostrils,  clear  eyes,  and  a  quiet  disposi- 


1926] 


FEEDING    BEEF    CATTLE   IN    CALIFORNIA 


tion  indicate  easy  and  economical  fattening  qualities.  Breeding  counts 
in  the  feed  lot ;  feed  cannot  make  a  choice  steer  out  of  a  common  feeder. 
It  is  important  to  select  feeders  that  are  uniform  in  size,  quality, 
conformation,  and  color.  They  finish  more  evenly  and  are  more 
attractive  to  the  buyer.     Steers  should  be  dehorned  before  they  go 


Fig.  2. — Inferior  steer  after  having  been  full-fed  on  grain  for  100  days. 


TABLE   1 

Cuts  from  the  Average  Steer  Killed  by  California  Packers  Compared  with 

those  from  a  choice  steer  used  in  a  carcass  demonstration  at 

the  University  Farm,  Davis,  California 


Cuts 

Average  steer, 
per  cent 

Choice  steer, 
per  cent 

Wholesale 
price  per  lb. 
(June,  1925) 

Shin  and  shoulder 

11 

14 
19 
10 
17 
24 
5 

8.20 
12.77 
15.72 
13.88 
22.23 
22.10 

5.10 

13c 

Plate 

Chuck 

Prime  rib 

8c 

9c 

21c 

Loin 

Round 

Trimming 

27c 

15c 

6c 

Totals 

100 

100.00 

8  CALIFORNIA   AGRICULTURAL   EXTENSION    SERVICE  [ClRC.  3 

into  the  feed  lot,  as  they  will  gain  faster,  be  more  quiet,  take  up  less 
room  at  the  feeding  bunks,  and  will  not  injure  or  bruise  one  another 
in  shipping  to  market.  It  is  preferable  to  buy  dehorned  feeders  as 
they  are  ready  to  start  fattening  immediately  without  shrinkage  or 
setback. 

Weight  and  Age  of  Feeders  to  Buy. — In  considering  the  age  of 
steers  to  feed,  the  following  facts  should  be  considered : 

1.  Older  steers  gain  slightly  more  a  day  than  do  younger  steers, 
but  not  more  a  day  to  each  1000  pounds  of  live  weight. 

2.  Younger  steers  require  less  feed  for  each  pound  of  gain.  Feed- 
ing trials  in  general  show  a  saving  of  from  25  to  30  per  cent  of  feed 
for  a  pound  of  gain  in  the  case  of  calves  and  from  15  to  25  per  cent 
in  the  case  of  yearlings,  as  compared  with  2-year-old  steers. 

3.  Older  steers  utilize  a  larger  proportion  of  roughage  in  their 
feed  than  younger  cattle. 

4.  Younger  steers  may  require  a  longer  period  to  acquire  the  same 
degree  of  finish.  The  time  required  to  fatten  calves  is  from  5  to  8 
months;  yearlings  from  4  to  6  months;  and  2-year-old  steers  from 
3  to  4  months. 

5.  A  larger  proportion  of  gain  in  older  steers  is  fat,  and  less  is 
protein  and  water.  In  other  words,  more  of  the  gain  in  young  steers 
is  in  growth  of  lean  tissues,  which  are  high  in  protein  and  water. 

6.  Steers  of  different  ages  utilize  about  equally  the  excess  digestible 
nutrients  consumed  above  the  requirements  for  maintenance.  How- 
ever, the  maintenance  requirement  of  older  steers  is  greater. 

Financial  Aspects  of  Feeding  Steers  of  Different  Ages. — 1.  The 
profit  or  loss  depends  largely  upon  the  difference  in  the  price  paid  for 
feeders  and  the  price  received  for  the  finished  steers. 

2.  The  cost  of  a  pound  of  gain  is  less  with  younger  cattle,  but  they 
have  to  be  fed  for  a  longer  period  than  mature  cattle.  The  feed  cost 
of  a  pound  of  gain  is  usually  greater  than  the  selling  price.  The 
longer  feeding  period  with  young  cattle  results  in  a  relatively  larger 
portion  of  the  investment  being  in  feed  cost  and  less  in  the  purchase 
price  of  the  feeder  as  compared  to  mature  cattle.  The  longer  feeding 
period,  together  with  the  fact  that  the  operator  gets  the  increase  in 
value  on  only  a  small  original  weight,  tend  to  offset  the  advantage  of 
requiring  less  feed  for  a  pound  of  gain. 

3.  Heavy  cattle  come  suddenly  to  the  end  of  the  period  when  it  is 
profitable  to  feed  them,  while  younger  cattle  continue  to  grow  and 
make  normal  gains  at  a  fairly  low  cost  after  they  are  in  marketable 
condition,  thus  offering  a  more  extended  period  in  which  they  may 
be  marketed. 


1926]  FEEDING    BEEF    CATTLE   IN    CALIFORNIA  9 

4.  Light-weight,  finished  cattle  have  commanded  the  best  price  for 
the  last  few  years. 

5.  Feeding  younger  cattle  is  less  speculative  than  feeding  older 
ones. 

6.  The  difference  in  favor  of  older  cattle  is  greatest  when  the 
margin  between  thin  and  finished  cattle  is  greatest  and  when  con- 
centrated feeds  are  high.  These  two  factors  depend  upon  the  future 
of  the  market  and  are  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  predict. 

Where  to  Buy  Feeders. — Men  in  the  Corn  Belt  buy  feeders  exten- 
sively at  central  markets  where  they  can  find  large  numbers  of  cattle 
from  which  to  make  selection  without  making  an  extended  trip  over 
the  country.  It  is  also  easy  to  secure  uniform  loads,  and  the  contact 
with  the  market  helps  to  familiarize  the  operator  with  the  kind  and 
quality  of  cattle  wanted.  In  California  most  of  the  feeder  cattle  are 
bought  directly  from  the  producer,  a  system  which  has  the  advantages 
of  saving  freight  and  commissions  for  the  buyer.  The  California 
Cattlemen's  Association  maintains  a  feeder  department  to  facilitate 
the  locating  of  feeder  cattle. 


PRINCIPLES  OF  FEEDING 

Feeds  are  composed  of  water,  protein,  sugar  and  starches,  fiber, 
fats,  and  mineral  matter.  Protein  is  used  in  the  animal  body  largely 
for  the  production  of  the  lean  or  muscular  tissue,  hair,  hide,  horn, 
hoof,  etc.  The  sugar,  starch,  and  fiber  are  all  grouped  together  under 
the  name  of  carbohydrates.  Carbohydrates  are  used  by  the  animal  for 
the  production  of  heat  and  energy  to  run  the  machinery  of  the  body 
and  for  muscular  work.  Any  surplus  is  changed  into  fat  and  stored 
in  the  body.  Fat  is  used  for  the  same  purpose  as  carbohydrates.  The 
food  value  of  a  pound  of  fat  is  equivalent  to  that  of  2%  pounds  of 
carbohydrates.  Mineral  matter  is  used  in  building  the  skeleton  and 
in  the  vital  processes  of  the  body. 

In  addition  to  these  feedstuffs,  there  are  several  substances  of 
unknown  composition  which  are  called  vitamins  that  are  necessary  to 
health,  growth,  and  reproduction. 

All  of  the  food  nutrients  will  be  supplied  if  the  following  rules  for 
feeding  beef  cattle  are  observed : 

1.  Feed  a  balanced  ration,  which  means  using  feeds  containing 
protein,  carbohydrates,  and  fat  in  the  proper  proportion  to  take  care 
of  the  animal's  needs. 

2.  Have  plenty  of  fresh  clean  water  available  at  all  times. 


10  CALIFORNIA    AGRICULTURAL    EXTENSION    SERVICE  [ClRC.  3 

3.  Peed  plenty  of  roughage  or  bulky  feed.  The  mineral  require- 
ment, with  the  exception  of  salt,  will  then  be  met,  especially  if  the 
roughage  is  a  legume  hay. 

4.  Keep  salt  available  at  all  times. 

5.  Feed  a  variety  of  feeds  in  order  to  get  the  right  quality  of 
protein. 

6.  Feed  green  or  succulent  feed  as  much  of  the  time  as  possible  in 
order  to  meet  the  vitamin  requirement.  Bright  alfalfa  hay  and  most 
grains  also  supply  vitamins. 

The  animal  uses  a  certain  amount  of  food  to  repair  the  body 
tissues,  to  maintain  the  body  temperature,  and  to  furnish  the  energy 
required.     This  amount  is  referred  to  as  maintenance  requirement. 

In  young  animals,  feed  consumed  above  the  maintenance  require- 
ment is  used  for  growth,  and  if  there  is  still  an  excess,  for  fat  pro- 
duction. In  mature  animals,  the  excess  is  used  for  the  production  of 
fat  alone. 

The  Problem  of  the  Cattle  Feeder. — The  problem  of  the  cattle 
feeder  is  to  furnish  his  animals  a  surplus  of  feed  above  the  require- 
ments for  maintenance  and  growth  sufficient  to  produce  rapid  gains 
and  quick  finish.  The  steer  is  always  using  a  large  quantity  of  feed 
just  to  keep  alive.  The  greater  the  quantity  of  feed  consumed  daily, 
the  greater  the  gain  will  be  and  the  quicker  the  finish,  thereby  decreas- 
ing the  proportion  of  feed  used  for  maintenance.  Economy  of  gain 
is  based  on  this  principle.  The  best  ration  is  the  one  which  will  give 
quick  results  at  low  cost.  No  one  ration  is  best  at  all  times  because 
of  the  fluctuating  price  of  feeds. 

The  Value  and  Use  of  Common  Feeds. — Barley,  milo,  kafir,  and 
f eterita  are  worth  almost  as  much  as  corn  for  fattening  cattle.  Small 
grains  should  be  ground  or  rolled  for  cattle  feeding. 

Cottonseed  meal  and  linseed  meal  are  equal  to  barley  as  a  fatten- 
ing feed.  They  are  more  valuable  as  sources  of  protein  to  balance 
such  feeds  as  barley  or  other  grain,  grain  hay,  silage,  or  fodders  low 
in  protein.  By  balancing  the  ration,  one  pound  of  cottonseed  meal 
may  save  many  pounds  of  other  feeds  in  making  gains.  If  alfalfa  hay, 
which  is  rich  in  protein,  be  the  chief  roughage,  protein  concentrates 
such  as  cottonseed  meal  are  unnecessary  and  should  be  used  only  when 
they  are  the  same  price  or  cheaper  than  the  common  grains.  An 
exception  to  this  might  be  in  the  case  of  full  feeding  grain  and  alfalfa 
hay,  especially  to  calves  and  yearlings,  when  protein  concentrates 
toward  the  end  of  the  feeding  period  may  prove  advantageous. 


I926]  FEEDING    BEEF    CATTLE   IN    CALIFORNIA  11 

Cattle  sometimes  eat  one  or  two  pounds  of  cottonseed  meal  in 
addition  to  all  the  hay  and  grain  they  will  consume.  The  extra  feed 
may,  on  account  of  the  greater  consumption,  increase  the  gains  suffi- 
ciently to  be  profitable.  Cottonseed  meal  varies  in  grade  from  36  per 
cent  protein  to  about  43  per  cent,  the  grades  being  designated  by  the 
terms  choice,  prime,  and  good.    Choice  represents  the  highest  grade. 

The  results  from  feeding  cottonseed  meal  and  linseed  meal  are 
about  equal,  although  linseed  meal  contains  about  10  per  cent  less 
protein. 

Cold  pressed  cottonseed  cake  contains  about  21  per  cent  digestible 
protein  as  compared  with  37  per  cent  digestible  protein  in  choice 
cottonseed  meal. 

Coconut  meal  contains  about  one-half  as  much  protein  as  choice 
cottonseed  meal. 

Alfalfa  is  the  best  single  roughage;  silage  and  alfalfa  are  better 
than  alfalfa  alone.  Silage  has  a  feeding  value  approximately  two- 
fifths  that  of  alfalfa,  if  fed  with  it  or  with  protein  feed  and  some  dry 
roughage.  Steers  fed  bald  barley  hay  at  the  Oregon  Station3  made 
only  a  little  over  a  quarter  of  a  pound  daily  gain  as  compared  with 
one  pound  daily  gain  on  alfalfa  alone.  Grain  hay  is  low  in  protein. 
When  grain  hay  of  good  quality  is  fed  with  a  protein  concentrate,  it 
should  have  a  value  as  a  fattening  feed  approximating  that  of  alfalfa. 

When  fed  in  amounts  not  exceeding  5  or  6  pounds,  molasses  is 
almost  equal  to  corn  in  food  value.  It  often  sells  for  less  than  half  the 
price  of  barley  or  corn  and  can  be  used  with  advantage  if  mixed  with 
such  feeds  as  chopped  hay  and  cottonseed  hulls.  The  molasses  is 
diluted  with  water  and  poured  or  sprayed  over  the  feed  which  is  then 
thoroughly  mixed.  In  smaller  amounts,  not  over  one  or  two  pounds, 
it  may  be  sprinkled  over  ordinary  roughage  or  grain  to  increase 
palatability  and  to  induce  the  consumption  of  greater  quantities  of 
feed. 

Cottonseed  hulls  have  an  actual  feeding  value  approximating  oat 
straw.  Because  of  the  nature  of  the  feed  and  the  ease  with  which  it 
can  be  mixed  with  grain  or  cottonseed  meal,  larger  quantities  are  con- 
sumed, and  better  results  are  obtained  than  on  a  ration  of  cottonseed 
meal  and  straw. 


3  Potter,  E.  L.,  and  Kobert  Withycombe.     Fattening  steers.     Oregon  Agr. 
Exp.  Sta.  Bui.  193:1-18,  1922. 


12  CALIFORNIA   AGRICULTURAL   EXTENSION    SERVICE  [ClRC.  3 


FERTILIZER    VALUES    OF    FEEDS    AND    MANURE 

The  fertilizing  constituents  of  feeds  have  an  important  bearing  on 
their  net  value,  especially  on  farms  where  fertilizer  would  otherwise 
have  to  be  purchased.  With  nitrogen  retailing  at  20  cents  a  pound  and 
potash  and  phosphorus  at  7  cents  a  pound,  the  fertilizer  values  which 
may  be  recovered  in  manure  from  a  ton  of  some  common  feeds  are 
as  follows: 

Barley,  $6.19 

Cottonseed  meal,  choice,  $23.37 
Linseed  meal,  $17.42 
Alfalfa  hay,  $9.29 

Such  computation  is  usually  based  on  the  general  fact  that  about 
80  per  cent  of  the  fertilizer  constituents  are  recovered  in  the  manure. 
However,  some  loss  occurs  in  the  manure  under  the  best  of  conditions ; 
therefore,  these  figures  are  based  upon  the  recovery  in  the  manure  of 
65  per  cent  of  the  actual  fertilizer  value  in  a  ton  of  feed. 

Over  a  120-day  feeding  period,  a  mature  steer  will  produce  about 
4  tons  of  manure,  having  a  value  of  from  $10  to  $12.  Operators  who 
properly  conserve  and  need  to  utilize  the  manure  consider  that  even 
though  they  just  break  even  on  the  feeding  enterprise,  they  still  have 
a  profit  in  the  increased  yield  of  crops  resulting  from  the  application 
of  the  manure. 

METHODS    OF    FEEDING 

Grass  Alone. — Grass  is  the  cheapest  of  feeds  but,  even  when  present 
in  abundance  and  under  favorable  conditions,  it  will  not  put  cattle  in 
marketable  condition  at  less  than  two  years  of  age,  while  in  the  past 
many  steers  so  handled  have  been  carried  to  3,  4,  and  5  years  of  age. 
Too  often  the  steer  on  grass  alone  gains  during  one  season  of  the 
year  and  loses  during  the  season  of  short  feed,  on  account  of  over- 
stocking and  a  lack  of  reserve  feed.  This  results  in  carrying  the  steer 
on  from  year  to  year  until  fat.  Such  procedure  cannot  result  in  much 
profit.  The  steer  that  goes  steadily  forward  in  a  gaining  condition  to 
market  weight,  is  the  one  most  likely  to  return  a  profit. 

Grass  Plus  Grain  or  Cottonseed  Cake. — Although  not  extensively 
practiced,  and  although  few  records  are  available,  it  seems  feasible  tc 
finish  out  long  yearlings  and  2-year-olds  and  possibly  younger  stuff 
on  the  spring  ranges  by  feeding  ground  barley,  milo,  kafir,  or  cotton- 
seed cake  in  addition  to  the  grass.  When  the  prices  of  these  feeds  are 
not  prohibitive,  the  use  with  the  grass  of  enough  concentrates  to  finish 


1926] 


FEEDING    BEEF    CATTLE   IN    CALIFORNIA 


13 


the  steers  seems  to  be  more  profitable  than  carrying  the  cattle  another 
six  months  or  a  year  and  a  half  on  grass  alone.  Cattle  fed  on  green 
pasture,  which  is  high  in  protein,  do  not  require  much  protein  feed, 
such  as  cottonseed  cake,  to  balance  the  ration.  What  is  needed  is 
additional  fattening  feed.  For  fattening  purposes,  cottonseed  meal  is 
worth  no  more,  pound  for  pound,  than  barley.  Some  cattlemen  who 
feed  cottonseed  cake  to  cattle  on  dry  pasture,  find  it  more  profitable 
than  carrying  them  a  longer  period  on  grass  alone. 

TABLE  2 

A  Summary  of  Several  Feeding  Trials  Conducted  by  Various  Experiment 
Stations  Adapted  to  California  Conditions 


Initial  weight 

Final  weight 

Daily  gain 

Daily  ration: 

Alfalfa  hay 

Grain 

Silage 

Linseed  oil  meal... 
Feed  for  100  lbs.  gain 

Alfalfa  hay 

Barley 

Silage 

Linseed  oil  meal... 


Lot  I 


Alfalfa  hay* 


1039 
1155 


32 


lbs. 

u 


97 


3298 


Lot  II 


Alfalfa  hay 

plus  small  feed 

of  barley* 


1090        lbs 
1239 

1.24    " 

28.95    " 
4.80    " 


2334.67  " 
387.09  " 


Lot  III 

Alfalfa  hay 

plus  full  feed 

of  ground 

kafirf 


952 


lbs, 

a 


2.4 

15.1 

16.7 


636 
697 


Lot  IV 

Alfalfa  hay 

plus  sorghum 

silage  and 

linseed  oil 

mealj 


986.  60  lbs. 
1208.67    " 
1.85    " 

2.98    " 


48.21    " 
2.51    " 

160.76    " 


2605.29  " 
135.77  " 


*  Potter,  E.  L.,  and  Robert  Withycombe.  Fattening  steers.  Oregon  Agr.  Exp.  Sta.  Bui.  193:  1-18. 
1922. 

t  Henry,  W.  A.,  and  F.  B.  Morrison.  Feeds  and  feeding.  18th  edition.  1-770.  Henry  and  Morrison 
Co.,  Madison,  Wisconsin.     1923. 

t  McCampbell,  C.  W.,  and  H.  B.  Winchester.  Cattle  feeding  investigations.  1919-1920.  Kansas 
Exper.  Sta.  Circ.  18:  1-11.    1921. 

Feeding  in  Dry  Lot. — Table  2  shows  the  results  of  several  feeding 
trials  at  different  agricultural  experiment  stations.  The  data  from 
lots  I,  II,  and  III  offer  the  comparative  results  of  feeding  (1)  hay 
alone,  (2)  hay  with  a  light  grain  ration,  and  (3)  hay  with  a  full 
grain  ration,  w^hile  data  from  lot  IV  show  the  results  obtained  from  a 
ration  of  hay,  silage  and  linseed  oil  meal.  The  rate  of  gain  and  the 
amount  of  feed  for  100  pounds  gain  is  given  in  each  case. 

The  feeding  values  of  kafir  and  barley  are  so  similar  that  barley 
may  be  substituted  for  kafir  in  the  above  table  for  purposes  of  com- 
parison and  for  estimating  the  probable  cost  of  gain.     By  applying 


14 


CALIFORNIA   AGRICULTURAL    EXTENSION    SERVICE 


[Circ.  3 


current  feed  prices  to  the  amount  of  feed  required  to  make  100  pounds 
of  gain  in  the  above  trials,  an  estimate  can  be  made  of  the  relative 
economy  of  the  different  rations.  It  should  be  borne  in  mind,  how- 
ever, that  the  finish  determines  the  selling  price  and  that  rations  con- 
taining grain  put  on  a  higher  finish  than  hay  alone.  The  economy  of  a 
ration  is  not  determined  alone  by  the  daily  cost  to  the  head,  but  by  this 
cost  in  relation  to  the  results  secured. 

Considering  the  gains  made,  the  finish  secured,  and  the  economy 
of  gain  in  table  2,  the  ration  of  silage,  alfalfa  hay,  and  linseed  oil 
meal  seems  to  be  one  which  will  work  most  advantageously  under 
California  conditions  for  the  finishing  of  yearling  and  2-year-old 
steers,  except  that  cottonseed  meal  should  be  substituted  for  linseed 
oil  meal.  Cottonseed  meal  is  cheaper  in  California  than  linseed  oil 
meal ;  both  produce  practically  the  same  results.  Corn  or  sorghum 
silage  can  be  used,  according  to  the  comparative  yields  of  the  crop 
in  a  particular  locality.  When  barley  or  other  grain  is  cheap,  it  can 
be  added  with  advantage.  This  ration  contains  a  minimum  of  con- 
centrated feed,  the  bulk  of  the  ration  being  made  up  of  feed  suited  to 

valley  conditions. 

TABLE  3 

Average  of  20  Trials  with  a  Total  of  377  Two-year-old  Steers  Averaging 
978  Pounds  in  Weight,  which  were  Fed  an  Average  of  153  Days* 


Average  daily  gain 

Average  daily  ration: 

Legume  hay 

Shelled  corn 

Supplement 

Silage 

Feed  for  100  lbs.  gain: 

Legume  hay 

Concentrates 

Silage 


Lot  I  (no  silage) 


2. 41  lbs. 

11.  30  lbs. 

16. 80  lbs. 

2. 70  lbs. 


474  lbs. 
810  lbs. 


Lot  II  (fed  silage) 


2. 43  lbs. 

3. 40  lbs. 
13.90  lbs. 

2.70  lbs. 
26. 40  lbs. 

141  lbs. 

685  lbs. 

1101  lbs. 


*  Henry,  W.  A.,  and  F.  B.  Morrison.    Feeds  and  feeding.     18th  edition.     1-770. 
Co.,  Madison,  Wisconsin.     1923. 


Henry  and  Morrison 


The  value  of  silage  is  shown  by  table  3.  These  results  are  the 
averages  of  several  feeding  trials  at  different  experiment  stations, 
comparing  legume  hay,  corn,  and  protein  supplement  with  legume 
hay,  corn,  protein  supplement,  and  silage. 

A  ton  of  silage  replaced  227  pounds  of  grain  and  605  pounds  of 
hay.  With  grain  at  $40  a  ton  and  hay  at  $15  a  ton,  the  silage  was 
worth  $9.08  a  ton.     The  cost  of  producing  corn  silage,  exclusive  of 


1926 ]  FEEDING    BEEF    CATTLE    IN    CALIFORNIA  15 

rent  and  the  power  charge  for  irrigation,  on  the  University  Farm  at 
Davis,  has  been  between  $4.50  and  $5.00  a  ton.  With  sorghum  silage, 
which  produced  a  yield  of  from  20  to  30  tons  to  the  acre,  the  cost  has 
been  as  low  as  $2.50  a  ton.  Corn  under  irrigation  should  yield  about 
15  tons  of  silage  to  the  acre. 

Starting  Steers  on  Feed  in  the  Feed  Lot. — The  steers  should  be  fed 
all  the  roughage  they  will  consume  from  the  start.  The  concentrate 
should  be  fed  lightly  at  first  and  gradually  increased  until  the  animals 
are  on  full  feed.  A  good  procedure  in  the  case  of  feeding  grain  to 
mature  steers  is  to  start  with  a  pound  the  first  day,  increasing  a  pound 
a  day  for  3  days,  then  to  hold  for  3  days,  repeating  until  on  full  feed. 
Another  procedure  is  to  increase  the  feed  a  pound  a  day  up  to  about 
8  pounds,  then  to  increase  one  pound  every  third  or  fourth  day.  When 
cottonseed  meal  or  cake  is  fed,  not  more  than  a  pound  a  day  should 
be  given  at  first.  This  should  be  increased  a  quarter  of  a  pound  a 
day  until  the  amount  desired  is  reached.  The  best  guide  is  the  appe- 
tite of  the  steers.  Peed  about  all  the  grain  they  will  clean  up  in 
one-half  to  three-quarters  of  an  hour,  or  about  all  they  will  eat  and 
still  want  more.  Cattle  should  always  be  hungry  at  feeding  time. 
In  feeding  practice,  approximately  a  pound  and  a  half  of  concen- 
trates to  100  pounds  of  live  weight  constitute  a  full  feed,  although 
cattle  will  eat  as  much  as  2  pounds  of  concentrates  to  100  pounds  of 
live  weight.  The  usual  practice  is  to  feed  twice  daily.  If  alfalfa  hay 
alone  is  fed,  however,  this  may  be  given  three  times  daily  to  induce 
greater  consumption. 


HOW  TO  KNOW  WHETHER  CATTLE  ARE  GAINING  SATISFACTORILY 

Scales  should  be  available  for  weighing  at  intervals.  This  is  the 
most  accurate  means  of  determining  how  well  the  steers  are  doing. 
Cattle  that  are  gaining  will  eat  heartily,  have  a  sleek,  well  filled,  con- 
tented appearance,  and  spend  much  time  lying  down  chewing  their 
cuds.  If  the  manure  is  thin,  watery,  and  evil  smelling,  digestive 
trouble  is  present.  This  is  most  likely  to  be  caused  by  over-feeding. 
If  the  cattle  do  not  relish  their  food,  are  "tucked  up"  in  the  flanks, 
and  have  harsh  coats,  perhaps  the  whole  ration  is  wrong  and  needs 
to  be  properly  balanced. 


16 


CALIFORNIA   AGRICULTURAL    EXTENSION    SERVICE 


[Circ.  3 


PREPARATIONS    FOR    SHIPMENT   TO    MARKET 

When  the  cattle  are  not  sold  and  weighed  at  the  feed  lot,  the 
shrinkage  from  feed  yard  to  market  is  an  important  item  and  should 
be  reduced  to  the  minimum.  When  silage  is  fed,  the  amount  should 
be  reduced  the  last  few  days  and  dry  hay  increased.  If  a  heavy  grain 
ration  is  fed,  it  should  be  reduced  somewhat  the  last  two  or  three 
days.  Cattle  should  have  water  a  few  hours  before  loading,  but  a 
heavy  fill  just  before  loading  is  not  desirable.  Every  effort  should 
be  made  to  have  the  steers  in  a  condition  as  nearly  normal  as  possible. 
Cars  should  be  well  sanded  and"  not  too  crowded.  Twenty  1200- 
pound  steers  is  about  the  right  number  for  a  36-foot  car. 


Fig.  3. — A  baby  beef,  ready  for  market. 


BABY   BEEF 

During  recent  years  the  ideal  of  the  market  has  changed.  The 
1600-pound  prime  heavy  steer,  formerly  the  ideal  market  animal,  now 
shares  the  highest  market  quotations  with  baby  beef.  The  demand 
for  the  prime  heavy  steer  is  very  limited.  Fat  young  cattle  varying 
in  age  from  10  to  15  months  and  weighing  usually  from  700  to  900 
pounds,  are  called  baby  beeves  (see  fig.  3).  Cattle  carried  to  heavier 
weights  before  being  finished,  and  marketed  at  from  16  to  20  months 


1926] 


FEEDING   BEEF    CATTLE   IN    CALIFORNIA 


17 


of  age  are  frequently  designated  on  the  market  as  short  yearlings. 
The  distinction,  however,  is  not  very  definite.  Baby  beef  is  produced 
through  an  economical  utilization  of  feed.  The  carcass  is  not  wasty 
in  excess  fat ;  the  cuts  are  of  a  size  most  desired  by  the  consumer. 
The  meat  is  very  tender  and  palatable.  Although  it  may  retain  some 
veal  flavor  and  is  usually  not  as  highly  flavored  as  prime  mature  beef, 
these  are  criticisms  offered  only  by  epicures.  Heifers  at  this  age  do 
almost  as  well  as  steers  in  the  feed  lot,  fatten  even  more  quickly,  and 
bring  as  much  on  the  market.     In  order  to  produce  baby  beef,  it  is 


Fig.  4. — This  400-pound  calf  represents  the  ideal  type  for  baby  beef  production. 


absolutely  necessary  that  the  calves  have  quality,  natural,  thick  flesh- 
ing, and  the  good  feeding  qualities  characteristic  of  the  best  beef 
breeding. 

Production  of  baby  beef  is  especially  adapted  to  those  ranches 
where  it  is  possible  to  both  raise  and  finish  on  the  same  place.  Where 
this  can  be  done,  the  calves  may  be  started  on  feed  while  still  with  the 
mothers  and  loss  of  the  baby  fat  may  thus  be  prevented.  In  this  way 
fall  calves  could  be  run  with  the  cows  until  the  following  summer, 
then  put  on  feed,  either  in  the  feed  lot  or  on  alfalfa  or  other  good 
pasture,  and  marketed  in  November  and  December  when  cattle  prices 
are  usually  higher.     An  alternative  plan  would  be  to  start  spring 


18  CALIFORNIA   AGRICULTURAL    EXTENSION    SERVICE  [ClRC.  3 

calves  on  feed  in  the  fall  after  weaning  and  to  market  them  in  March 
and  April  before  the  general  marketing  of  cattle  from  spring  pasture. 
Figure  4  shows  the  ideal  type  of  calf  for  baby  beef  production. 

Although  it  is  advantageous  to  start  calves  on  feed  while  still 
suckling  the  cows,  it  is  not  necessary.  The  right  kind  of  calves  can 
be  bought  at  weaning  time  and  finished  in  the  feed  lot.  The  tendency 
of  the  calf  is  to  grow  rather  than  to  fatten,  and  it  requires  skillful 
feeding  to  produce  baby  beef.  The  calf  must  get  enough  feed  to  pro- 
vide for  body  maintenance,  rapid  growth,  and  putting  on  fat.  To  do 
this  it  must,  in  the  first  place,  have  a  natural  tendency  to  fatten,  and 
secondly,  it  must  be  fed  liberal  quantities  of  concentrated  feed. 

Some  Suggested  Rations  for  Baby  Beef  Production. — These  rations 
give  the  approximate  amount  of  "the  various  feeds  which  the  animal 
will  consume  when  on  full  feed.  The  grain  should  be  increased  more 
slowly  with  calves  than  with  mature  steers.  Small  quantities  of  grain 
should  be  placed  in  the  feed  bunk  until  the  calves  are  all  eating  the 
grain;  then  the  amount  can  usually  be  increased  one  pound  every 
third  day  until  six  pounds  are  fed.  The  grain  should  then  be  increased 
more  slowly,  always  gauging  the  amount  by  the  appetite  of  the  calves. 
By  the  end  of  the  second  month  the  calves  will  probably  each  consume 
eight  pounds  of  grain  daily.  As  the  calves  develop  in  size,  the  amount 
of  feed  is  gradually  increased  until  they  may  consume  daily  from  ten 
to  twelve  pounds  of  grain  to  the  head  at  the  finish. 

1.  Alfalfa  hay,  8  pounds 

Rolled  barley,  milo  or  kafir,  from  8  to  10  pounds. 

2.  Alfalfa  hay,  2  pounds 

Rolled  barley,  milo  or  kafir,  from  8  to  10  pounds 
Cottonseed  meal,  1  pound 
Silage,  from  8  to  10  pounds 

3.  Alfalfa  hay,  from  2  to  4  pounds 
Silage,  from  15  to  20  pounds 
Cottonseed  meal,  1%  pounds 

Barley  or  other  grain  full  fed  the  last  half  of  feeding  period 
and  silage  decreased 

4.  Grain  hay,  8  pounds 
Rolled  barley,  8  pounds 

Cottonseed  meal  or  linseed  meal,  2  pounds 


1926  ]  FEEDING    BEEF    CATTLE   IN    CALIFORNIA  19 


FEED    LOTS    AND    EQUIPMENT 

Steers  on  feed  should  have  a  well  drained  lot  and  shelter  from 
rain.  An  open  shed  and  a  lot  without  too  much  room  to  range  is 
best  for  this  purpose.  From  twenty  to  twenty-five  square  feet  of 
ground  space  to  the  head  should  be  allowed  in  the  shed.  The  area 
of  the  lot  should  be  at  least  three  times  the  area  of  the  shed  space. 
During  dry  weather,  no  shelter  is  necessary,  though  available  shade  is 
very  beneficial.  Small  lots  of  an  acre  or  so  are  preferable  to  large 
fields,  unless  the  cattle  are  on  pasture.  Cattle  will  not  gain  eco- 
nomically when  forced  to  stand  in  mud.  Concrete  lots  are  advisable 
where  there  is  poor  drainage  and  heavy  soil.  Plenty  of  feed  racks 
and  feed  bunk  space  should  be  provided  so  that  the  steers  will  not 
be  crowded  at  meal  time.  Two  and  one-half  feet  of  space  to  the  steer 
at  the  feed  bunk  is  about  right. 


HOGS    FOLLOWING    STEERS 

When  heavy  grain  rations  are  feci,  it  will  pay  to  have  hogs  follow 
the  steers.  Pigs  weighing  from  80  to  150  pounds  are  best  for  this 
purpose.  With  a  full  ration  of  ground  or  rolled  barley,  one  hog  to 
every  four  or  five  steers  should  clean  up  the  unmasticated  and 
undigested  grain.  The  pigs  do  better  if  they  have  access  to  tankage 
to  balance  their  ration,  and  if  they  do  not  appear  to  be  getting 
enough  feed,  they  should  be  given  additional  grain. 


16m-10,'26 


